GUESTS boldly went to an official opening ceremony with a difference.

There was a Star Trek theme when the new £250,000 enterprise training centre in Washington Street, Bolton was opened by Cllr Jack Foster, Chairman of Bolton Council's Planning and Environment Committee.

There was music, clips of dialogue from the long-running series, dry ice and the unveiling of a Starship Enterprise made out of balloons.

It gave Cllr Foster a rare opportunity to utter the immortal line: "Beam Me Up Scotty!"

All this was inspired by an Evening News headline - "A new home for the starship Enterprise" - which accompanied a recent Business News article.

The centre is run by Bolton Enterprise Services - part of Bolton Council's Economic and Physical Development Unit - in partnership with Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council, Business Link, City Challenge and the 3 Ds (Deane, Derby and Daubhill) Single Regeneration Budget area.

More than 1,000 small Bolton enterprises have been assisted since 1983. They include Julie Barnes' Balloon Decor business, which was called on to build the USS Enterprise for the ceremony.

NatWest Senior Business Manager John Batigan and Area Small Business Adviser Paul Stewart were on hand to present a £1,500 cheque to be used for computer facilities in the centre's new business club.

After the official opening the new complex was opened to training providers, strategic partners and members of the public.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.